Signal device



June 14, 1938. R THOMPSON I 2,120,380

SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Feb. 25, 1956 INVENTOR. ARTHuR P. Fm/m nu ATTORNEY.

Patented June 14, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGNAL DEVICE Arthur R. Thompson, San Francisco, Calif. Application February 25, 1936, Serial No. 65,543 6 Claims. (01.116-52) This invention relates to signaling devices and has for its objects the provision of improved means for signaling the intended movements of an automobile or vehicle in a manner simulating the arm signals ordinarily given for right or left turns or for stopping, and which means is simple, easily operated, and gives the desired signals in an unmistakable manner, and when not operated, the device is adapted to be withdrawn from signaling position. Other objects and advantages will appear in the drawing and description annexed hereto.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a side View of my device, partly in section to reveal construction.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of my device.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the portion shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. l.

' In detail my device comprises a relatively flat,

horizontally elongated, hollow housing H of sheet metal having opposed parallel vertical sides I connected by walls 2 along opposite edges and open at its opposite ends. Along each side of the housing is a flat, elongated horizontally extending arm 3 shaped to simulate an arrow with the pointed end 4 extending beyond one of the open ends of the housing. Arms 3 are each provided with a horizontal slot 5, and a horizontal pin 6 extends at its ends through the slot in each of the arms and through openings in the side walls I of the housing adjacent the open end of the housing beyond which the pointed ends of the arms extend. The pin 6 is provided with washers I at its ends adjacent the outer sides of arms 3 respectively and a removable cover plate 8 carried by each of the arms extends over the ends of the pin and washers as best indicated in Figs. 1 and 5. These cover plates are substantially the length of the slots 5 and are held in place by edges 9 of the arms being turned over to form grooves in which opposite edges of the cover plates respectively are slidable.

The outer pointed ends 4 of the arms 3 are connected by edge walls Ill, that also space the arms, and reflecting prisms H are secured to the opposite vertical sides of the arms at the pointed end.

A flat bar I2 is secured at one end between the outer ends 4 of the arms by a pair of pins I3 and extends horizontally inwardly into the housing through the open end thereof to a point I4 about two-thirds of the distance between the opposite open ends of the housing, which bar is horizontally slotted at I5 to pass the pin 6, thus the arms 3 and bar I2 are parallel to each other and slots 5 and I5 are similarly parallel.

Secured to end I4 of bar I2 is a yoke member 5 I6, the ends of the arms of the yoke being pivotally connected to the end of the bar by a pin I7 and a horizontally elongated coil spring I8 connects'between the yoke I6 and a U-shaped bracket l9, which bracket is suitably secured at the open 10 end of the housing opposite the pointed ends 4 of the arms 3. The arms 3 and bar I2 are thus yieldably held in horizontal position by spring I 8, one end of slot I5 engaging the pin 6 so that the pointed ends 4 of the arms 3 will project only 5 a short distance beyond the end of the housing.

The bracket I9 supports a pair of grooved, superposed spaced horizontal rollers 20, 2| between the arm of the bracket secured on a vertical shaft 22 that is rotatably supported at its ends in openings in the arms of the bracket I9.

Within the housing, adjacent the end supporting the bracket I 9, are a pair of vertically spaced grooved rollers 23, 23' rotatably mounted on pins 24 that extend horizontally between sides I of 25 the housing.

The housing H- is shaped progressively wider, in a vertical plane, toward pointed ends of the arms 3 to a point about three-fourths of the distance from bracket I9 and from this point the width is progressively reduced to the open end through which bar I2 extends. At the widest portion, and adjacent opposite walls 2 respectively, are a pair of grooved rollers 25, 25 rotatably supported on horizontal pins or shafts 26 mounted at opposite ends to side walls I.

The housing H is pivotally supported for rotation on a vertical axis at the end adjacent the bracket I9 but spaced therefrom a short distance toward the opposite end of the housing. The pivots so supporting the housing comprise a pair of oppositely extending vertical arms 21, 28 secured to the housing, arm 27 extending upwardly from the housing and arm 28 extending downwardly therefrom. These arms are shaped at their outer ends to form cylindrical ends around which are torsion coil springs 29, one end of each spring respectively engaging each arm and the opposite end of the spring engaging an upper bracket 30 and a lower bracket 3| through which brackets o thecylindrical ends of the'arms rotatably extend. The brackets are secured to a supporting plate 32 that is adapted to be secured by screws 33 to the side 34 of the vehicle in a suitable position. 5

Thus the brackets 39, 3| form bearings carrying the housing and pivotally mounting arms 21, 28 for swinging the housing horizontally.

The springs 29 are so arranged as to normally urge the housing to lie fiat adjacent the side of the vehicle, or parallel thereto, with the end of the housing at arms 21, 28 toward the forward end of the vehicle.

Below bracket member 39 is a vertical T-shaped locking device T, (Fig. 3) rotatably supported at the head of the T on the outer end of a horizontal shaft 4| that is secured at its innerend to plate 32. A torsion spring 42 (Figs. 2, 3) is is on said shaft between the plate and locking device, one end engaging the device and the other end engaging the plate so as to tend to hold the device T with its depending leg 43 vertical against a stop 44 carried by the plate 32. The upper sides of the arms 45, 46 forming the head of the T have convex upper cam surfaces and spaced notches 41, 48 at opposite sides of shaft 4|.

A horizontally disposed L-shaped member 49, resembling a bell crank, is rigidly secured at the juncture of the arms thereof to the vertical arm 21, and when the housing is normally disposed parallel to the side of the vehicle, one end of said member 49 engages in notch 41 of the device T. Upon pivoting the device T as indicated in Fig. 4, to the dotted line position the end of member 49 in notch 41 is released from the notch 41 and the housing is free to swing horizontally on brack ets 30, 3| to a position perpendicular to its normal position, in which perpendicular position the other end of member 49 will engage in notch 48 and the housing will be locked in this position so long as the housing is held in its perpendicular position. The arms of member 49 in moving from and to the positions mentioned with reference to the device T will slide over the cam surfaces at the top of the arms of the device and notch 48 is so shaped to securely hold the end of member 49 therein when the arms of the device T are in the dotted position as indicated in Fig. 4. Thus when leg 43 of the T-shaped device is moved back to vertical, the end of member 49 is released from the notch 48 and the housing is free to move back to its normal position under influence of the torsion springs 29.

The lower end of leg 43 of the device T is cut out at a point along one vertical edge as at 50,

for receiving a vertical roller 5| therein (Fig. 3), which roller is rotatably supported at its ends to the leg at the upper and lower edges of the cut out portion, and the plate 32 also rotatably supports a pair of horizontally disposed rollers 52, 53 on a vertical shaft 54, which rollers are disposed at the same level as the roller 5|.

A flexible cord, 55, chain, or the like, exten from a position accessible to an operator within the vehicle, around a side of rollers 52, 5| to within the open end of the housing positioned adjacent roller 5|, and from thence past and against the side of roller 23 that is adjacent roller 23', then forward and around the outer side of roller 25 and then rearwardly to around the inner end of bar l2 to which it is secured by a pin 56 or other suitable means. The cord is continued from the inner end of bar 12 to around the outer side of roller 25, then against the inner side of roller 23', over roller 20, past and against rollers 5| and 53 and back to the inside of the vehicle. The inner ends of cord 55 are respectively provided with cord pulls 51, 51' or may be connected to any suitable actuating device for selectively pulling one end or the other end of the cord or to pull both ends simultaneously.

In operation, with the housing locked (by the one end of arm 49 in notch 41) in a position parallel to the side of the vehicle on the left side thereof if it is desired to make a right turn, the end 51 is pulled, which causes the device T to pivot by the cord pulling against roller 53 on the lower end of leg 43, to release the one arm of member 49 and the housing H is simultaneously pulled around to perpendicular position in the direction of the arrows (Fig. 2) and against the resistance of springs 29. At the same time the inner end of bar I2 is moved forwardly and upwardly by reason of the pull on end 51 of the cord 55 thus carrying the arrow-shaped arms 3 in the same direction and causing the arms 3 to pivot on pin 6 to the position indicated in dotted line at 3' in Fig. 1. The housing is held locked in this perpendicular position and the arms 3 are held in the inclined position 3 so long as there is tension on the end 51 of cord 55 by its being pulled as described, since the opposite arm of member 49 will also be swung to engage in notch 49 of arm 46.

Upon releasing the pull on end 51' of the cord, the housing and arm will automatically swing back to the normal position indicated in full line in Fig. 1 and will automatically be locked in said normal position since release of the pull on cord 55 will permit leg 43 to swing to vertical position with the end of arm 49 in notch 41 under influence of spring 42.

If a left turn is to be made, the operator pulls ends 51 and 51' together at the same time in which case the unlocking of device T is exactly the same as in the above description for the right turn by. reason of pivoting the device T on shaft 4|, and the housing will swing in the same manner, but the arms 3 assume the position indicated in dotted line at 3" in Fig. l and will movehorizontally outwardly of the end of the housing. The housing will be looked, as above described, in the perpendicular or outwardly extending position as long as both ends 51, 51 are pulled in the same manner as described for the right turn will likewise be released to automatically swing back to the position shown in full line in Fig. 1 when the pull on the ends 51, 51 is released.

If a stop is to be made, theend 51 only will be pulled, and the arms 3 will assume the dotted position 3" in Fig. 1, the locking, unlocking, and swinging of the housing being the same as already described for the other two positions, the only difference being that the arms 3 are inclined downwardly opposite to the position 3'.

The simultaneous swinging of the housing and moving of the arms outwardly and in an arcuate path for right turn and stop signals or the horizontal movement of the arms for a left turn, gives unmistakable signals, and the provision of the reflecting prisms, which may be extended along the arms, if desired, facilitates night signalling without danger of the signals being overlooked. The springs 29 function to always tend to swing the housing on its pivots at brackets 30, 3|, back to parallel with the side of the vehicle, and spring 42 (Fig. 2) functions to always tend to return the device T to a position with its arms 45, 46 horizontal and leg 43 vertical, while a pull on either or both ends 51, 51' of cord 55 always functions to simultaneously swing the housing outwardly on its bearings and to move the arms 3 outwardly of the housing to one of the three positions 3', 3", 3", according to which of the ends 51, 51 is pulled.

It is of course obvious that a housing may cover the operating parts of my device without invention, and any suitable actuating device, such as a vacuum motor operated from the automobile manifold, or electric solenoids, may be used to actuate the signal.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a signaling device, the combination of an elongated, horizontally disposed arm, means mounting said arm for movement thereof about a vertical axis and for movement in.a direction radially outwardly of said axis about a horizontal axis to a position extending angularly relative to a horizontal plane, means for causing the aforesaid movements of said arm, the means mounting said arm including a vertical pivot for swinging the arm thereabout, and a separate horizontal pivot slidably and pivotally supporting the arm for sliding movement of the arm on the pivot in a direction transversely of the axis of the horizontal pivot and for rotating about said horizontal pivot.

2. In a signaling device, the combination of an elongated, horizontally disposed arm, means mounting said arm for movement thereof about a vertical axis and for movement in a direction radially outwardly of said axis about a horizontal axis to a position extending angularly relative to a horizontal plane, means for causing the aforesaid movements of said arm, the means for causing the movements of the arm comprising a flexible cord connected at a point intermediate its ends to said arm and the ends of said cords being arranged and adapted for selective actuation thereof as desired, said cord being arranged and adapted to cause the arm to move to different angular positions relative to the horizontal plane in which the arm is normally disposed depending upon which end of the cord is actuated and to cause the arm to move horizontally without said angular displacement upon the ends of the cord being actuated simultaneously, and means mounting said arm, including a supporting member therefor and a horizontal pivot slidably and pivotally supporting said arm on said member for movement thereabout in a direction longitudinally of the arm.

3. In a signaling device of the character described, an elongated arm, a hollow housing, means for supporting said arm adjacent an outer side of said housing including a member rigidly secured to said arm extending into said housing, a pivot rigidly secured to said housing slidably and pivotally mounting said member and arm for movement therealong and for swinging thereabout, means for causing the arm and member to simultaneously move together along said pivot and to swing thereabout to a plurality of radially extending positions relative to said pivot and pivot means mounting said housing for swinging on a vertical axis, the aforesaid means for causing movement of the arm and member being arranged and adapted to cause the housing to swing on its mounting upon actuation of said means.

4. In a signaling device of the character de scribed, a pair of parallel spaced, normally horizontally disposed elongated arms, means connecting said arms for securing them in opposed relation, a hollow housing disposed between said arms, means pivotally and slidably securing said arms to said housing for pivoting said arms on a horizontal axis and for moving said arms to various angular positions relative to horizontal along the sides of said housing, means for causing the arms to pivot on said axis and to move to said various angular positions relative to horizontal along the sides of said housing.

5. In a construction as defined in claim 4, the means for causing the aforesaid movement of said arms including a bar extending into said housing at one end and flexible operating elements connected to an end of said bar extending oppositely from opposite sides thereof, rollers at opposite sides of the bar spaced therefrom over which said flexible elements are supported and said flexible elements extending from said housing at the end thereof opposite the bar for actuation by an operator.

6. In a construction as defined in claim 4, pivots mounting said housing for swinging on a vertical axis, and the means for causing the arms to move on and to pivot about said horizontal axis being arranged and adapted to swing the housing on its vertical pivots upon actuation of said last-mentioned means.

ARTHUR R. THOMPSON. 

